Primary Drinking Water Standards

In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the USEPA and the CDPH prescribe regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems.

WATER SOURCE

Calleguas Municipal Water District

Imported Surface Water

Locally Stored Surface Water

Treated by Metropolitan

Treated by Calleguas

United Water Conservation District

Local Wells

The City’s water is treated to comply with CDPH regulations. The California Food and Drug Branch also establishes these same limits for contaminants in bottled water.

Special Health Requirements Nitrate in drinking water at levels above 45mg/L is a health risk for infants less than six months of age. Such nitrate levels can interfere with the capacity of an infant’s blood to carry oxygen, resulting in serious illness. Symptoms in- clude shortness of breath and blueness of skin. Nitrate lev- els above 45mg/L may also affect the ability of the blood to carry oxygen in other individuals, such as pregnant women and those with certain specific enzyme deficiencies. If you are caring for an infant or are pregnant, you should seek the advice of a healthcare provider.

PERCENT OF SUPPLY

69.5%

0.05%

MCL

PHG (MCLG)

Range

Avg.

Range

Avg.

Turbidity (NTU) TT (a)

Highest Single Value: TT=% of samples <0.3 NTU

0.05 100%

0.12 100%

Disinfection Byproducts and Disi

nfectant Residuals

Bromate (ppb) (b) Haloacetic Acids (ppb) (c)

Total Chlorine Residual (ppm) Total Trihalomethanes (ppb) (c)

10

(0)

60

N/A

[4]

[4]

80

N/A

6

ND-10

ND

ND

Highest Running Annual Average = 15, Range of Detections = ND - 19

Highest Running Annual Average = 2.2, Range of Detections = 1.9 - 2.3

Highest Running Annual Average = 31, Range of Detections = 14 - 50

Inorganic Chemicals

1

0.6

0.05-0.11

0.08

ND

ND

10

0.004

ND-2.4

ND

ND

ND

Aluminum (ppm) Arsenic (ppb)

30%

Range

Avg.

Year

Major Sources in Drinking Water

2007

Soil runoff.

ND-7 2007 4.35 2007 2007 11.5-26.8 18.16 2007

By-product of drinking water disinfection.

By-product of drinking water disinfection.

Drinking water disinfectant added for treatment.

By-product of drinking water chlorination.

2007 2007

Erosion of natural deposits; residual from water treatment process.

Erosion of natural deposits; runoff from orchards.

Lead in drinking water is rarely the sole cause of lead poi- soning, but it can add to a person’s total lead exposure. All potential sources of lead in the household should be identi- fied and removed, replaced or reduced. Infants and young children are typically more vulnerable to lead in drinking water. Possibly, lead levels at a home residence may be higher than other houses in the community, as a result of materials used in the home’s plumbing. If you are concerned about elevated levels in your water, you may want to have your water tested as well as simply flush your tap for 30 seconds to two minutes before using tap water. Additional information is available from the Safe Drinking Water Hotline at (800) 426-4791.

Radon is a radioactive gas, found throughout the United States, which occurs naturally in groundwater and is re- leased from water into the air during household use. The

USEPA is preparing a regulation that will specify a Maxi- mum Contaminant Level (MCL) for radon. MCLs are set at very stringent levels. For example, a person would have to drink two liters of water every day at the MCL level for a life- time to have a one-in-a-million chance of having possible health effects. For additional information, call the USEPA’s Radon hotline at 1-800-SOS-RADON.

Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) is a gasoline additive which has not been detected in Oxnard water. However,

over the past few years, several underground fuel storage tanks have leaked and released gasoline containing MTBE near UWCD’s El Rio Wellfield and near the City’s Blending Stations Nos. 1 and 3, threatening these important sources of water for Oxnard. The City and UWCD are actively moni- toring the cleanup at these spill sites and coordinating with the County of Ventura Environmental Health Divison’s Leak- ing Underground Fuel Tanks Program, which oversees such cleanup efforts. This coordinated effort will help minimize the chance of contamination of the City’s groundwater.

The City has sampled its drinking water for the presence of unregulated contaminants. Following is the City’s findings on items present in Oxnard water.

Microbial contaminants such as viruses and bacteria which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural livestock operations and wildlife.

Inorganic contaminants, such as salts and metals, which can occur naturally or result from urban storm water runoff industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production, mining or farming.

Pesticides and herbicides which may come from a variety of sources such as agriculture and residential uses.

Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) = The highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. Primary MCLs are set as close to the PHGs (or MCLGs) as is economically and technologically feasible. Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG) = The level of a contaminant in drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs are set by the U.S. Envi- ronmental Protection Agency.

Maximum Residual Disin- fectant Level (MRDL) = The level of a disinfectant added for water treatment that may not be exceeded at the con- sumer’s tap. Maximum Residual Disinfec- tant Level Goal (MRDLG) = The level of a disinfectant added for water treatment below which there is no known or ex- pected health risk. MRDLs are set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Primary Drinking Water Stan- dard = MCLs and MRDLs for contaminants that affect health along with their monitoring and reporting requirements, and wa- ter treatment requirements. Public Health Goal (PHG) = The level of a contaminant in drink- ing water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. PHGs are set by the California Environmental Protection Agency.

ND

ND

12 samples were obtained. Zero Oocysts in 11 samples and only 2 Oocysts in one sample.

Microbial pathogen found in surface water throughout the U.S. Samples were obtained before filtration and disinfection.

Treatment Technique (TT) = A required process intended to re- duce the level of a contaminant in drinking water.

(a) The turbidity level of filtered water shall be less than or equal to 0.3 NTU in 95% of the mea- surements taken each month and shall not exceed 1.0 NTU. ASR water is not subject to

water supplies started on No- vember 26, 2007. Distribution samples were collected after that date. The CDPH Optimal Control Range for fluoride treat- ment is 0.7 to 1.3 ppm. (e) Metropolitan results were taken from four consecutive

quarters of monitoring from August 2005 to April 2006. Cal- leguas Lake Bard results were taken from four consecutive quarters of monitoring in 2007. Calleguas ASR results were taken from quarterly monitoring in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Radioactive contaminants that occur naturally or result from oil and gas production and mining activities.

The City routinely monitors contaminants in its drinking water according to state and federal laws. The tables (pages 2 & 3) show the results for the period of January 1 to December 31, 2007. All drinking water, including bottled drinking water, may reasonably expect to contain at least small amounts of some contaminants. Remember that the presence of these contaminants does not necessarily pose a health risk. As you can see in the table, Oxnard’s water system did not have any violations. The City is proud that your drinking water meets or exceeds all federal and state requirements. As such, the USEPA and CDPH have determined that Oxnard water is safe at these levels.

these requirements.

(b)

Compliance

for

treat-

Sampling Results:

ment plants that use ozone is based on a running annual average of monthly samples. ASR water is not subject to these requirements. (c) Compliance is based on a running annual average of quarterly distribution system samples. Values reported reflect the highest and lowest single value in the distribution system (range) and the highest running annual average. (d) Fluoridation treatment of

Showing the Detection of Lead and Copper in September 2006 (Next Schedule testing will be in the summer of 2009)